Music moment in Aurala's daycare center (photo by Arto Arvilahti)
In Aurala's kindergarten, the songs are fresh and the Ukuleles play almost every day. For us, music is seen as a fun and versatile way to learn different skills and gain experiences of success.
Music is a very universal language that allows practicing many kinds of skills. The rhythm and melody of music lead to, among other things, practicing the language and are also connected to learning to read and write, while the words of songs can tell stories about different cultures or natural wonders. Hand coordination can be practiced by playing a drum with the whole hand or playing a triangle accurately with a small stick. To the beat of the music, you can move exactly according to the rhythm or improvise the movement to your liking. Music can inspire or relax and also help others to focus on the task at hand.
Social skills are also practiced with the help of music, such as waiting one's turn, working together and following common rules. It is also easy to combine emotional skills training with music by listening to the music's melody, rhythm and timbre.
So how exactly does it happen? Answer: through play and joy. The children are not aware that here they are trying to learn to take turns or to read, but the idea is that learning takes place unnoticed through play. I personally like to sing songs that fit a certain theme - for example, now in the winter season, the snowmen have been talking in the group of little ones, so the songs have also been focused on that. Movement is often included in my own teaching, because things are often learned first through the body. We have practiced, among other things, different ways of moving, which is very successful in the rhythm of the snowman march, where the snowmen first march, then jump and swing and finally stop in place by crawling.
In our preschool, ukulele coaching has been running for the fourth year already. The ukulele has been a favorite instrument for children, because you can quickly play real songs with it. The idea of musical instrument coaching is, in addition to the joy of playing, to offer children the opportunity to try learning an instrument during the preschool day, when it is no longer necessary to go to music lessons in the evening. The idea is also to practice musical skills at a level suitable for an Eskarian. The 6-year-old's motor skills have already developed enough that they can play and they can also concentrate on learning the instrument.
Only imagination is the limit with music and it requires a little courage from an adult to try different ways of using music in education. I always encourage employees to use all kinds of music, even if it seems awkward. Often adults imagine that they can't sing or play when they can't, but children are a gracious audience and most of the time are just thrilled when someone sings and plays along.
Of course, music alone is not enough for children to grow and learn, but it is one good way to do it. Music evokes joy and experiences in many different ways, which is why it works to support the education of all ages.
Mervi Levo (in the photo. Photographer: Arto Arvilahti)
The author is the director of the Aurala daycare center
